Dear Secretary General, Mr. Ahmeti

Dear Director of the Budget Department, Mr. Elmazi

The Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN) respectfully requests that the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) 2026–2028 be subjected to a public consultation process, in line with Regulation No. 17/2024 on the Work of the Government of the Republic of Kosovo. This regulation underscores the importance of public participation to ensure transparency and accountability. Citizens have a fundamental right to know how public funds are planned to be used over the medium term and to contribute to setting priorities for expenditures that respond to the diverse needs of society. Public consultation prior to the approval of the MTEF is essential to ensure that the allocation of resources reflects the interests of all citizens, women and men, and supports efforts to promote gender equality.

Additionally, the Ministry of Finance, Labour, and Transfers (MFPT) should publish a Gender Budget Statement (GBS) within the MTEF to support gender-responsive budgeting. It should outline how medium-term fiscal planning addresses the needs of diverse women, men, girls, and boys. Kosovo has committed to gender-responsive budgeting through the Law on Gender Equality, and publishing a GBS would align with Kosovo’s commitments to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—especially Indicator 5.c.1—as well as the Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (PEFA) Supplementary Framework for Gender Responsive Public Finance Management.

To date, gender-responsive budgeting-related documents, such as the annexes required by budget circulars, have not been consistently published on government websites, as required for compliance with SDG Indicator 5.c.1. Making these documents publicly available would enhance transparency, demonstrate how the MTEF and budgets support gender equality, and ensure that all citizens have access to clear and comprehensive budget information.

Therefore, KWN calls on the Government of Kosovo, and specifically MFPT, to take immediate steps to:

We strongly believe that these actions will improve the quality and inclusiveness of the budget process and further Kosovo’s progress toward gender equality and good governance, in line with its commitments.

• Initiate a public consultation process on the MTEF 2026–2028, before its approval;
• Publish a Gender Budget Statement, clearly showing how the MTEF contributes to advancing gender equality;
• Publish all relevant gender budget annexes transparently online, ensuring public access.

Sincerely,

Igballe Rogova

Executive Director

Kosovo Women’s Network